Fuel distributing apparatus



Dec. 3, 1935. N. M. LOWER 2,022,965

FUEL DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 13, 1929 vENToR Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Standard Stoker Com poration of Delaware pany, Incorporated, a cor- Application February 13, 1929, Serial No. 339,544

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a fuel distributing apparatus for fireboxes to be used in connection with mechanical stokers and is the result of much experimenting to provide a means for distributing both large and fine coal uniformly over the grates to maintain a level fire. The provision of such means is the main object of this invention.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the fuel distributing apparatus projecting in the firing opening of a locomotive firebox.

Fig. 2 is a part sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front end view of the fuel distributing apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the jet casting.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the jet openings of the fuel distributing apparatus and illustrates the method of discharging large and fine coal.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-45 of Figure 4.

Similar reference characters in the following description designate corresponding parts, in the several figures of the drawing.

The numeral I designates the backhead of a locomotive boiler provided with the firing opening 2 through which the fuel is supplied to the firebox by hand or by stoker 3.

Arranged within the firing opening 2 is the fuel distributing apparatus, designated as a whole by the numeral 4. This apparatus is supported on the bottom of the firing opening 2 by the special stud 5 and is secured to the stoker 3 by the hook-bolt 6. The fuel distributing apparatus t comprises the jet member or casting I and the distributor plate or table 8. At the lower portion of the forward end of the jet casting I is the forwardly extending flange 9. The table 8 is secured to the top of the flange 9 by the screws ID. The tops of the screws ID are made to come flush with the top surface of the table 8 to provide a smooth surface over which the fuel is discharged by the jets at the forward end of the jet casting I.

It has been found that the present steam jet fuel distributing apparatus in which a single horizontal row of jets is provided to discharge the fuel into the firebox does not distribute evenly over the grate. This is because the pressure of the jets can not be regulated to suit the various sizes of fuel that fall before them. A small lump will be blown to the front of the grates while a large lump will not be blown nearly so far. By referring to Figure 5 of the drawing it will be seen that I have overcome this disadvantage by pro- 5 viding an upper horizontal row II and a lower horizontal row I2 of jet openings which are formed in the front wall 30 of the jet member 1. The small lumps of fuel will be discharged by a single jet while the large lumps will be dis- 10 charged by a plurality of jets. The upper row of jet openings Ii are in communication with the cored chamber I3 and the lower row of jet openings I2 are in communication with the cored chamber I4. The two chambers I3 and I4 are separated from each other by the horizontal partition I5. On each side of the double row of jet openings is a single row I6 and I I drilled in the angular faces Mia and I'Ia respectively for discharging the fuel to the rear portion of the sides and the rear corners of the firebox. The side portions 3 I, 32 of the plate 8 are sloped downwardly from the straight central portion 33 to facilitate the discharge of coal to the rear corners of the firebox. The side rows of jet openings I6 and I! are in communication with the cored chambers I8 and I9 respectively. The cored chambers I3, I 4, l8, and I9 extend to the rear of the jet casting 'I and have pipe lines 20, 2|, 22, and 23 respectively leading to a supply of steam pressure. Inserted in the pipe lines are suitable valves (not shown) for controlling the pressure of the upper row II, the lower row I2, and the side rows I6 and I1 of jet openings independently of each other; which gives the fireman additional control of the fuel distribution.

The jet openings are drilled at various angles so that each jet will supply a particular area of the grate. For aiding in directing the fuel to the particular area to which it is to be discharged 40 I have provided the radial forwardly diverging ribs 24 on the table 8. These ribs 24 are preferably positioned centrally between the jet openings in the lower row I2 and below the level of the upper row of jet openings II. They can either be made separately and secured to the table 8 or be cast integral with the table 8.

I have illustrated this invention in connection with a stoker having a screw delivering to the firing opening of the firebox but it should be understood that any type of stoker conveying means can be combined with thisinvention, and I do not limit myself just to the combination illustrated.

It is to be noted that the novel construction and relation of the parts of the fuel projecting and distributing means as originally presented herein, and also the relation of the fuel deflectors with such means, is claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 703,197, which was filed December 20, 1933, as a division of the present application.

What is claimed is,

Ina locomotive stoker, the combination with a discharge member, an aperture in the back head of a locomotive firebox, a distributor extending through said aperture for delivering fuel intothe fire box of the locomotive, means for holding said distributor to said member, and means adjustably supporting the distributor intermediate its endsin said aperture.

NATHAN M. LOWER. 

